Myth of the Clans: A New Beginning
by OptimusPrime2017
Summary: After witnessing the death of their father, Butterkit, Jaykit, Cinderkit, and Redkit must learn how to deal with loss. Sequel series to A Soul Among the Stars. This is Book 1. (BTW the cat in the image is Redpaw).
1. Our Cats

**OUR CATS:**

 _Stealthclan:_

Leader: Graystar (gray tabby tom)

Deputy: Bramblepatch (brown tabby tom)

Medicine cat: Stonepool (stone gray tom)

Medicine cat apprentice: Littlestorm (light gray tabby tom)

Queens: Hera (ginger she-cat, formerly kittypet)

Elders: Gleamfur (ginger she-cat with shining fur)

Blueshine (blue gray she-cat)

Warriors: Blackpelt (pure black tom)

Amberspot (gray she-cat with amber colored spots)

Silentstream (gray tabby tom)

Frostfire (white with blue eyes)

Blossomcloud (ginger she-cat)

Brackenpelt (golden tom)

Fernberry (ginger she-cat)

Foxfur (ginger she-cat)

Stormpelt (gray tabby tom, brother of Foxfur)

Logstorm (brown tabby tom)

Apprentices: Smallpaw (black tom)

Kits: Butterkit (ginger tabby tom, born to Hera)

Redkit (very dark ginger tom, born to Hera)

Jaykit (gray tom, born to Hera)

Cinderkit (light gray she-cat, born to Hera)

 _Pondclan:_

Leader: Wetstar (blue-gray tabby tom)

Deputy: Blossomberry (ginger she-cat with white spots)

Medicine cat: Willowcloud (tortoiseshell she-cat)

Medicine cat apprentice: Berryfur (creamy she-cat)

Queens: Hollybriar (flame ginger she-cat)

Elders: Palewhisker (pale ginger she-cat)

Nettletooth (black tom with large teeth)

Whiskerjaw (white tabby tom with extra whiskers)

Warriors: Wildflame (bright ginger tabby tom)

Cloverfang (pale gray tom)

Mousepelt (gray she-cat)

Softspot (silver tabby tom with a soft spot for kits)

Maplefur (tan she-cat)

Lakeheart (blue-gray tabby tom)

Larkheart (gray she-cat)

Troutfur (dark gray tabby tom)

Silvershine (silver she-cat)

Apprentices: Mousepaw (gray she-cat)

Kits: Splashkit (gray tabby tom)

 _Littleclan:_

Leader: Snarlstar (black tabby tom)

Deputy: Shredscar (dark gray tabby tom; covered with scars)

Medicine cat: Mothmist (light gray she-cat)

Queens: Smallbird (cream colored she-cat)

Elders: Thistlethroat (dark brown tabby tom with black stripes)

Crowberry (black she-cat)

Warriors: Sootfur (gray tabby tom)

Fallenstorm (dark gray tabby tom)

Echosong (pure white she-cat)

Birchleap (white tabby tom with gray stripes)

Shellblaze (pale gray she-cat)

Rockcloud (stone gray tabby tom)

Poppypelt (black she-cat with gray spots)

Stongsoul (black she-cat)

Berrytail (creamy tabby tom)

Snaketooth (gray she-cat)

Apprentices:

Mosspaw (gray tabby tom with bluish stripes)

Kits: Blackkit (black she-cat)

 _Heartclan:_

Leader: Mallowstar (light brown she-cat)

Deputy: Swiftheart (white tabby tom)

Medicine cat: Cinderlight (very light gray she-cat)

Queens: Roseflight (silver she-cat)

Elders: Gorsedust (white she-cat)

Sheeppelt (fluffy white she-cat)

Warriors: Hawkwing (light brown tabby tom)

Flamefur (orange tabby tom with bad temper)

Tansydrop (gray she-cat)

Leopardshade (leopard-furred tabby tom)

Deadspirit (pure black tabby tom)

Yellowbird (creamy she-cat)

Logpelt (brown tabby tom)

Beepelt (tortoiseshell she-cat)

Otterheart (dark brown tabby tom)

Apprentices:

Petalpaw (ginger she-cat)

Kits: Toadkit (brown tabby tom)

 **Deceased:**

 _Dark Forest:_

Stagfoot

Tigerfang

Hawktalon

Goldenstar

Blackscar

 _Heartclan:_

Redstem

Nutfur

Crowpaw

Heavyfur

Sweetpaw

 _Littleclan:_

 _Deerskip_

Spottedpool

Flintpaw

Spidertuft

 _Pondclan:_

Redpuddle

Jayclaw

Lionkit

Grayspeck

Cedarmist

 _Stealthclan:_

 _Wolfsoul_

Whiteflame

Silverclaw

Shadowclaw

Brightstar

Greyfur


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Thank you for saving the Starclan." A flame-colored tom meowed to a wolf-like tom next to him.

"It was my destiny." The other cat responded. "Firestar, I did what had to be done."

"I know, Wolfsoul." Firestar responded. "But it wasn't part of your destiny to die along the way."

"They'll be fine down there now." Wolfsoul meowed, unconcerned. "Besides, we can help them from up here when the time comes."

"True." Firestar agreed.

"There's another prophecy." Brightstar, the former Stealthclan leader padded from the shadows.

"What is it this time?" Firestar asked.

Wolfsoul pricked his ears, interested.

"The gone shall return and four will become heroes." Brightstar meowed.

"Four?" Wolfsoul meowed. "Do you know who they are?"

"No." Brightstar meowed. "All I know is that they are alive now."


	3. Chapter 1

Redkit padded towards the nursery of Stealthclan, dragging a tiny vole. Cinderkit, his sister, was behind him with a finch. They entered the nursery and lay down. Butterkit and Jaykit, their brothers, already had their own fresh-kill, but it was also pitifully small.

"Aren't you glad leafbare is ending soon?" Cinderkit meowed.

"You betcha." Redkit agreed. "Less than a moon to go now until we're finally apprentices."

"Wolfsoul would have been proud to see it too." Hera murmured from nearby.

Redkit stopped chewing in the middle of a mouthful of his meal. Sadness poured through him as he remembered that bloody, brutal battle. What he remembered most of all was seeing his father die right in front of him. Redkit dreamt to become the best warrior of all the clans so no other cat would die by his side.

Forcing himself not to be too upset, he resumed chewing. The battle hadn't just been in Stealthclan. There were reports that the Dark Forest had attacked Pondclan, Heartclan, and even Littleclan too. It made Redkit wonder exactly how many cats lived in the Dark Forest and killed only for their ambitions, for their own power over the four clans.

"Yeah, he would have been proud, Hera." The dark ginger tom agreed, no tone to his voice.

"I miss him." Cinderkit whined. "We didn't even know him that long."

"At least we knew him at all." Jaykit finally retorted.

"I know, I know." Hera tried to reassure them. "But he's gone now and there's nothing we can do about it."

"We know." Redkit hissed, anger coming in. He ate the last bite of his meal and got up. "I'm gonna be with Littlestorm and Stonepool, if you wanna find me."

"Okay." Butterkit meowed, finally saying something.

Redkit left the den and stumbled across the snowy clearing, the snow up to the bottom of his neck. He entered the medicine den and shook snow from his pelt.

"Hey there, Redkit." Littlestorm didn't look up as he went through the herbs before him.

"Hey, Littlestorm." He responded. "Where's Stonepool?"

"He went to see if he can find anything." The tabby meowed. "Not like he's going to though, in all of this snow."

"Yeah, he's not gonna." Redkit agreed. He changed the subject. "How are you gonna get to the Moontree tomorrow?"

"I honestly have no clue." The medicine cat apprentice admitted. "We might not even go at all. Maybe it'll actually be sunny tomorrow and the snow will be gone by the time we must leave."

"Hope so." The dark ginger kit mewed.

He padded over to a corner of the den and sat down, heaving a sad sigh. He was thinking about Wolfsoul again.

Cats would keep apologizing when he felt down about it, but what good was that doing? It wasn't going to bring his father back to life. Nothing was...Wolfsoul was gone and he had to accept it. Redkit, his sister, and his brother had to get over it.

Deep down, Redkit didn't see how he could or if he ever would.


	4. Chapter 2

**Chapters may have different point of views. Just be aware of that.**

Jaykit opened his eyes the next day. He was the first of them up. He scrambled out of the nursery and over to the fresh-kill pile. There was only a small thrush. He shook his head, deciding that he should save it for other cats. He wasn't that hungry anyway.

He saw Bramblepatch Gathering together a few early warriors for the dawn patrol. Brackenpelt, Fernberry, and Logstorm padded out of camp.

"Are they going hunting too?" Jaykit piped up.

"Huh? Oh, hey there, Jaykit." Bramblepatch moved to stand next to the kit. "No, they're not going hunting. I'll send out a patrol once more cats are up."

"Okay." The gray kit meowed. "How long until the ceremony?"

Jaykit asked Bramblepatch every few days. He was eager to become an apprentice.

"Two sunrises to go, little guy." The deputy purred.

"Fox dung!" Jaykit grumbled. "I was hoping it was today."

"Not yet." The dark brown tabby padded to sit in a corner of the clearing.

Jaykit heaved a sigh of impatience and padded back to the nursery, crashing into Redkit on the way in.

"Ouch!" He yelped.

"Watch it, Jaykit!" Redkit hissed, jerking away.

"Sorry." The tom mewed guiltily.

He realized suddenly how thirsty he was. He found his way back to Bramblepatch, leaving his brother.

"Hey, Bramblepatch?"

"Yeah?" The deputy mewed.

"Mind if I go down to the lake and get a drink?" He asked.

"Go ahead, but be quick about it."

"Okay, Bramblepatch."

Jaykit left the den and padded down towards the lake, through the snow. He looked up at the sky, where orange and purple streaks from the sun were shining brightly. No clouds. He reached the lake. Luckily, it wasn't frozen.

He bent down to take a sip, but all he touched was ice.

 _Wait, ice? That wasn't there a second ago!_

Confused, he stepped onto the ice. It didn't break under him. He took a step forward and bent down again, his face almost touching his paw, which had unsheathed claws showing. Ice again.

 _How is this possible? What's happening to me!?_

He shifted his paws back and reached his neck forward, trying again to drink. This time, he was plunged face-first into the water!


	5. Chapter 3

"What were you thinking?" Bramblepatch was yowling. "Going into the lake?"

"No, Bramblepatch-"

The voices were cut off by a nearby yawn.

"Shh, quiet CInderkit!" Butterkit hissed.

His sister obeyed, though he sensed her eyes burning into his pelt.

"Just let me explain!" Jaykit's voice yowled at the deputy.

"Fine." It came in a cool voice.

"The ice was there, but then it wasn't." The kit explained.

"You expect me to believe that?" Bramblepatch scoffed. "I have enough experience to know that stuff like that doesn't happen."

"But-"

"Enough." The deputy growled.

"It's true!" Jaykit yowled in a voice louder than any cat has ever heard from him.

Silence followed.

"But I didn't expect you to understand." The angry kit continued. "You guys never understand. You never listen to what Cinderkit, Redkit, Butterkit, and I say! You don't care about us enough to listen." His voice was a harsh growl. What came next saddened Butterkit dramatically. "Only Wolfsoul would understand, but he's gone. He's dead! He isn't here to care for us. I know he does, but he can't help us now. He's with Starclan." Jaykit's voice had lowered, until it was normal now. "You don't understand at all."

Butterkit heard his brother walking towards the nursery. He could sense Jaykit's anger, his sadness, all of his overwhelming emotions.

Jaykit stalked into the den and lay down right next to Butterkit. His. body shook with sobs as sadness overpowered the other emotions.

Butterkit just sighed and rested his head on the ground, closing his blind eyes. He knew Jaykit was right. Why couldn't the clan just listen to them?

 _Is there something wrong with us?_


	6. Chapter 4

"What?" Cinderkit demanded. "Are you mouse-brained?"

"They all think we are." Jaykit retorted.

The gray kit had just suggested running away from Stealthclan. Hera was making dirt, so she wasn't around to hear their conversation.

"Okay, you both have a point." Redkit flicked his tail. "But we can't just leave. They'll think another clan stole us."

"After what happened out there, I think not." Butterkit meowed. "They'll know we ran away."

 _Yeah,_ Cinderkit agreed, _they definitely will know._

She saw a look of astonishment cover all three of their faces.

"D-did you say something?" Redkit stammered.

"No." Cinderkit was confused. "Why?"

"I heard your voice." The dark ginger tom swallowed. "In my head."

"Me too." Butterkit meowed.

"Yeah, same." Jaykit added.

"Telepathy." Butterkit murmured. "We have telepathy."

"What's that?" Redkit asked.

"We can communicate our thoughts to each other." The blind kit explained.

A look of awe had overcome Jaykit's determination to leave. "That's awesome!"

"Shh, keep it down." Cinderkit whispered. "We don't want anyone else to know, right?"

The others nodded in agreement.

 _Okay._ That was Butterkit. _Is it working? Cinderkit?_

 _Yeah._ She murmured it.

 _What about me?_ Redkit now.

Cinderkit just nodded.

 _This is so cool!_ Jaykit purred in awe. He didn't purr out loud, only in their minds.

 _Yeah._ Cinderkit agreed.

 _If we're gonna leave, we should do it now. No one is in the camp and Hera will be back soon._ Butterkit mewed.

 _But that means that we'll run into them around the territory._ Redkit shuffled his paws.

 _Not if we hide. They won't find us then. We're small, therefore we can hide easier._ Jaykit was back into running away now.

 _I'm in it if you two are._ Cinderkit muttered.

 _I'm in._ Redkit stood to his paws.

After a moment of silence, Butterkit answered. _Alright, let's go._


	7. Chapter 5

Redkit flattened his ears nervously as he and his littermates slipped through the camp entrance and into the nearest bush. Then he remembered something.

 _We can't do this._ He decided.

 _Why not?_ Jaykit turned to look at him.

 _The apprentice ceremony is in two sunrises!_ Redkit reminded them. _I'm not going with you._

Redkit snuck out of the bush and back into the camp, lying down in the nursery just as Hera came in.

 _Oh no!_ He thought to himself. _The others haven't decided yet!_

"Redkit, where are your brothers and sister?" Hera asked.

"I don't know." He lied.

"Are you sure you don't know?" She asked.

"Yeah." Redkit mewed. "I'm sure."

A look of worry filled Hera's eyes.

"Come on, Hera, they're probably around here somewhere." He reassured her.

The ginger she-cat didn't respond.

He padded towwards the nursery exit and left the den, getting tackled as soon as he left.

"Ouch!" He hissed. Redkit got back to his paws to see his littermates standing right there. "Whoever did that, please don't do it again."

"Sorry." Cinderkit snickered. "I just felt like it."

"Well, this is what I feel like doing!" He meowed, leaping on top of her.

"Whoa!" She mewed. "Okay, okay! Stop!"

He got off of her, his tail curling in amusement. "That was fun." He purred.

"Oh, thank Starclan!" Hera had come out of the den. "I wondered where you three wondered off too."

Redkit rolled his eyes. "Told you they weren't far away, Hera."

"Yes, I know." She meowed.

She turned and went back into the nursery.

 _So,_ Redkit spoke to them telepathically, _you aren't going after all, are you?_

 _No,_ Jaykit responded. _Don't want to miss the ceremony._

 _Glad to hear that._ Redkit responded. _I didn't want to be alone during the ceremony._


	8. Chapter 6 and Mentor to Apprentice Chart

Redkit, Jaykit, Cinderkit, and Butterkit **,** you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Redpaw, Jaypaw, Cinderpaw, and Butterpaw. Redpaw, your mentor will be Fernberry. Jaypaw, you mentor will be Stormpelt. Cinderpaw, your mentor will be Foxfur. And Butterpaw, your mentor will be Logstorm. I hope Fernberry, Stormpelt, Foxfur, and Logstorm will pass down all they know on to you.

Graystar beckoned for the chosen warriors to come forward.

Fernberry, Stormpelt, Foxfur, and Logstorm **,** you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from your former mentors, and you have shown yourself to be hopeful and loyal warriors. You will be the mentors of Redpaw, Jaypaw, Cinderpaw, and Butterpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to these young cats.

Jaypaw touched noses with Stormpelt and his siblings did the same to their mentors.

"Redpaw! Jaypaw! Cinderpaw! Butterpaw!" The clan greeted them.

Then the meeting broke up, Hera coming over to congratulate her kits.

*X*

Jaypaw followed Stormpelt back into camp. His mentor had given him the full tour and taught him how to hunt.

Jaypaw dropped his catch, a crow, into the small, but slowly growing fresh-kill pile.

There had been no clouds that day and most of the snow was gone now. It seemed that leafbare has ended.

Hera decided to stay in the nursery to help new queens, but the new apprentices had been forced to move into the apprentices den with Smallpaw, who had grown to be quite bossy to them since he became an apprentice.

~-~X~-~

Mentor to apprentice:

Fernberry→ Redpaw

Stormpelt→ Jaypaw

Foxfur→ Cinderpaw

Logstorm→ Butterpaw


	9. Chapter 7

It was the sunrise after the apprentice ceremony. Logstorm was showing Butterpaw how to hunt because he hadn't done it the day before.

"No, tuck your paws in more." Logstorm instrucked. "Tail down, Butterpaw."

Butterpaw sighed and obeyed his mentor.

"There you go, that's good." His mentor meowed. "Now let's go find some prey!"

Logstorm had just showed Butterpaw the hunter's crouch. Logstorm raced away and Butterpaw did his best to follow using scent.

He smelled prey nearby. Very nearby. He crouched down just the way he had done before. He heard a snuffling noise in front of him. About a tail length and a half away.

After confirming the location of the creature, Butterpaw crouched and clumsily landed on the animal, biting the back of its neck.

"Nice catch!" Logstorm praised from nearby.

"Thanks." The blind apprentice replied, picking up the squirrel.

"Let's go back to camp, maybe Bramblepatch will put us on the sunhigh patrol." His mentor suggested.


	10. Chapter 8

Cindepaw watched as her blind brother walked into camp with his mentor, carrying a very bloody squirrel.

"Aha!" Bramblepatch meowed. "Butterpaw, Logstorm, mind going on the sunhigh border patrol with Foxfur and Cinderpaw?"

"Not at all, Bramblepatch." Logstorm dipped his head as his apprentice dropped the prey in the fresh-kill pile. "I was going to ask you anyway."

"Perfect timing then." The deputy purred.

"Yep." Logstorm agreed.

Cinderpaw and Foxfur walked over to the other two cats and they all began heading out of camp. They moved towards the Pondclan border. Logstorm quickly marked the borders and they headed off towards the Littleclan border.

When they arrived they were just in time to see a rival clan cat crossing back into the other territory.

"Hey!" Foxfur yowled at the cat.

They raced towards them. Cinderpaw found herself eager for her first battle. Maybe it would be this one.

 _Yeah, well, I'll be shredded._ Butterpaw retorted, having obviously read her thoughts through the telepathy.

 _How do you turn this thing off?_ She asked.

 _Hey, I'm trying to hunt!_ Redpaw protested.

 _And I'm trying to sleep._ Jaypaw's annoyed response joined in.

 _Sorry!_ Cinderpaw mewed, embarrassed.

She snapped herself back to reality.

"Why did you cross the border?" Foxfur hissed at Birchleap, the other cat.

"Hunting." The tom narrowed his eyes.

"On our territory?" Cinderpaw snarled.

Three other Littleclan cats stepped out of the shadows. Fallenstorm, Sootfur, and Mosspaw.

"Leave him alone." Mosspaw snarled.

"Is it a fight you want?" Logstorm flattened his ears and his fur bristled.

All eight cats unsheathed their claws.

"So be it." Cinderpaw growled.

Birchleap let out a battle cry and the Littleclan cats rushed forward. The Stealthclan cats fought back easily. Well, not Butterpaw.

Mosspaw was hitting him when the blind apprentice swung his paws the other way. The enemy apprentice seemed to be toying with him.

Cinderpaw was up against Sootfur. Both gray cats were tumbling, clawing and nipping fiercely. She slashed her paw across the other cat's muzzle and then his belly.

"This isn't over." Sootfur growled, turning and vanishing back into the shadows.

Cinderpaw raced over to aid her brother against his enemy.

"Turn around, Butterpaw!" She yowled.

"I got this!" The ginger tom retorted, swinging his paw.

It swished just above the other cat's head.

"Ha! Missed me!" Mosspaw purred cockily.

Butterpaw angrily swung another attack, connecting with Mosspaw's face. The gray tom was sent sprawling.

"Okay, okay." Mosspaw scrambled to his paws, blood coming out of a scratch on his check. The apprentice turned around and scurried off.

The other two Littleclan warriors turned and fled back into the darkness of their own territory.

"We'll have to report this to Bramblepatch." Foxfur murmured. She was licking a scratch on her hind leg.

"Yeah." Logstorm agreed.

"We should head back and have one of the medicine cats treat our wounds." Cinderpaw meowed.

"Then let's go." Butterpaw began following their trail back to camp.

 _I HATE being blind!_ Butterpaw's voice came harshly via telepathy.


	11. Chapter 9

_What happened?_ Redpaw asked curiously.

 _Battle on the Littleclan border._ Cinderpaw responded.

 _Aw, I missed all the fun._ He muttered.

 _Fun?_ Butterpaw growled. _You call that fun?_

 _What's wrong, Butterpaw?_ Jaypaw cut in.

 _I thought you were trying to sleep._ Cinderpaw interrupted.

 _Kinda hard to do with you jabbering in my head!_ Jaypaw grumbled. _How do we shut this thing off?_

 _I'll work on that one._ Redpaw mewed. _Tired of hearing your guys' random thoughts._

 _Same._ Butterpaw mumbled.

 _Turn off._ Redkit meowed.

 _What?_ Cinderkit asked.

Ignoring her, Redpaw closed his eyes from where he lay just outside of the apprentices' den. He imagined looking through his own head, an image appearing in his mind. An image of his own brain. He searched through it several times, finding nothing.

 _Find anything yet?_ Jaypaw questioned.

 _Not yet._ Redpaw responded.

He felt something prodding him in the side.

 _Umm...is that one of you?_ He asked.

 _No._ Butterpaw answered. _Cinderpaw and I are still in the medicine den._

 _And I am still in our den._ Jaypaw added.

 _Fox dung! Smallpaw!_

Redpaw's eyelids snapped open and he turned his head sharply, glaring up at Smallpaw.

"What are you doing, Smallpaw?" He growled slightly.

"I'd ask you the same." The black tom meowed. "You seemed like you weren't sleeping or awake. Like maybe in a distant universe or something."

"I was trying to think." Redpaw grumbled, getting to his paws.

He looked up at the orange streaked sky, amazed at how long he had his eyes closed. He shook his head and padded into the den, lying down in his nest. He curled up and closed his eyes again.

The image of his brain reappeared. Whatever he had to do to shut off the telepathy had to do with his brain. An idea occurred to him. He imagined a very tiny switch on the surface of his brain.

 _Anythi-_ Jaypaw was cut off as Redpaw flipped the imaginary switch.

It had worked!


	12. Chapter 10

Jaypaw reached the lake shore. Redpaw had explained how to turn the telepathy on and off, and right now he had it off. So, for now, he was at peace.

He remembered that morning down by the lake, when he had fallen in. He was still confused by the ice, but was down here to try it again and see how it worked.

Jaypaw heaved a heavy sigh and carefully set a paw of the water. His claws unsheathed themselves and ice formed underneath his paw.

 _Whoa!_

He carefully set his other forepaw onto the water. More ice formed beneath it and connected with the other chuck. He moved his forepaws further and stepped onto the ice with his hind legs. The ice didn't break beneath his weight.

He stared into the water and saw another cat staring back at him. It was himself, but it wasn't. This cat reflection was bigger, stronger.

That was when Jaypaw noticed it. The red eye glaring at him with a blue one. He narrowed his eyes and so did the reflection.

 _That's odd...a red eye._

He looked into the red eye and saw hatred and a want for revenge there. The blue eye showed only determination, courage, and loyalty.

 _Is that really what I am to become…?_


	13. Chapter 11

Butterpaw lay in his nest silently. It was about moonhigh. Jaypaw was missing, for some reason, and the others were asleep. Butterpaw curled up again, closing his eyes in another attempt to sleep.

*X*

"The gone will return and four will become heroes." A familiar voice meowed.

"W-Wolfsoul?" Butterpaw stammered.

"It's a prophecy, and yes this is me, Butterpaw." The cat responded.

"A prophecy?" The apprentice repeated, watching as his father padded out of the shadows.

"Yes."

"Where are we, Dad?" He asked.

"We are in the stars, in Starclan." Wolfsoul responded, gesturing to the area around them with his tail.

"Wow." Butterpaw something occurred to him. "Why are you showing me this prophecy?"

"Because you are the most likely to figure it out." The wolf-like warrior explained. "You're intelligent, more than most cats."

"Do you know who the four are?"

Wolfsoul's shape was already beginning to fade away.

"Wait, don't leave me, father!" Butterpaw yowled.

"I have no choice…" Wolfsoul's voice trailed away. "Until we meet again, farewell my son."

The vision faded…

*X*

Butterpaw opened his eyes. It was still night, based on what Butterpaw heard in the camp, which was nothing except for snoring cats. He sensed Jaypaw's presence in his nest.

Butterpaw's thoughts were focused on the dream from Starclan, the dream from his father.

 _Who are the four? Am I one of them?_


	14. Chapter 12

Cinderpaw dragged a fat rabbit back towards the Stealthclan camp. It was the beginning of newleaf and prey seemed to teleport into the territory. The fresh-kill pile was bigger than she ever remembered.

She entered the camp and tossed the rabbit into the pile. Foxfur had two squirrels and a mouse dangling from her jaws. She added them to the pile as well.

It had been nearly half a moon now and things were looking better everywhere. The plants were growing back faster than she had thought they would.

"Hey, Foxfu-" Cinderpaw's meow was cut off by a thundering crackling noise that came from the ground.

Cats everywhere began panicking.

"What's happening?!" Redpaw yowled in her ear.

"I don't know!" She yowled back.

She quickly switched her telepathy back on, sensing all her brothers connected to it as well.

 _We need to get out of the camp!_ Jaypaw yowled.

 _What about Butterpaw?_ Redpaw asked.

 _I'll help him._ Jaypaw responded.

Cinderpaw glanced Jaypaw and Butterpaw struggle out of the apprentices den.

"Go!" Jaypaw shouted at her and Redpaw.

"He's right, we need to get out of here." Redpaw told her.

Cinderpaw nodded and they began racing towards the clearing, stumbling on the shaking ground. Cats were everywhere, making it hard to move around. Impossibly, the crackling grew louder. There were several wails of fear.

She snapped her head to the right to see a huge crack in the camp floor. What was happening? She snapped her head to the left just as more horrible crackling came. A crack formed under a ginger she-cat. The cat fell into the crack, into the blackness forever.

 _No! Hera!_


	15. Chapter 13

Redpaw raced off without his sister, panicking on the inside. He knew the others could sense his fear through the telepathy, which he had turned back on.

 _Run. Run. Run. Run, run, run!_ He kept thinking.

He knew the others were ignoring him.

He pushed through the crowd of cats as Cinderpaw suddenly screamed telepathically.

 _No! Hera!_ Her frantic meow came.

 _What's wrong?_ He demanded.

 _It's Hera, she fell in one of the cracks!_ Cinderpaw responded.

Sadness overwhelmed him. _So, we got no mom...or dad?_

 _Exactly…_

Only a louder splintering noise snapped him back to reality. A huge tree was falling towards the camp.

"Look out!" Redpaw yowled as loud as he could.

Cats looked up and their panic grew. By now, most of the cats were out.

"Get out of the camp!" Cinderpaw shouted at their clanmates.

Within heartbeats, only Redpaw was left inside the camp. But it was too late. A loud crashing noise came and he looked up to see the tree crashing down inside the camp. But even worse…

The tree hit Redpaw.


	16. Our Cats UPDATE

**OUR CATS:**

 _Stealthclan:_

Leader: Bramblepatch/Bramblestar (brown tabby tom)

Deputy: Brackenpelt (golden tom)

Medicine cat: Stonepool (stone gray tom)

Medicine cat apprentice: Littlestorm (light gray tabby tom)

Queens: Amberspot (gray she-cat with amber colored spots)

Elders: Gleamfur (ginger she-cat with shining fur)

Blueshine (blue gray she-cat)

Warriors: Blackpelt (pure black tom)

Silentstream (gray tabby tom)

Frostfire (white with blue eyes)

Blossomcloud (ginger she-cat)

Fernberry (ginger she-cat)

Foxfur (ginger she-cat)

Stormpelt (gray tabby tom, brother of Foxfur)

Logstorm (brown tabby tom)

Apprentices: Smallpaw (black tom)

Butterpaw (ginger tabby tom, born to Hera)

Redpaw (very dark ginger tom, born to Hera)

Jaypaw (gray tom, born to Hera)

Cinderpaw (light gray she-cat, born to Hera)

 _Pondclan:_

Leader: Wetstar (blue-gray tabby tom)

Deputy: Blossomberry (ginger she-cat with white spots)

Medicine cat: Berryfur (creamy she-cat)

Queens: Hollybriar (flame ginger she-cat)

Elders: Palewhisker (pale ginger she-cat)

Nettletooth (black tom with large teeth)

Whiskerjaw (white tabby tom with extra whiskers)

Warriors: Wildflame (bright ginger tabby tom)

Cloverfang (pale gray tom)

Mousepelt (gray she-cat)

Maplefur (tan she-cat)

Lakeheart (blue-gray tabby tom)

Larkheart (gray she-cat)

Troutfur (dark gray tabby tom)

Silvershine (silver she-cat)

Apprentices: Mousepaw (gray she-cat)

Kits: Splashkit (gray tabby tom)

 _Littleclan:_

Leader: Snarlstar (black tabby tom)

Deputy: Shredscar (dark gray tabby tom; covered with scars)

Medicine cat: Mothmist (light gray she-cat)

Queens: Smallbird (cream colored she-cat)

Elders: Crowberry (black she-cat)

Warriors: Sootfur (gray tabby tom)

Fallenstorm (dark gray tabby tom)

Echosong (pure white she-cat)

Birchleap (white tabby tom with gray stripes)

Shellblaze (pale gray she-cat)

Rockcloud (stone gray tabby tom)

Poppypelt (black she-cat with gray spots)

Stongsoul (black she-cat)

Berrytail (creamy tabby tom)

Snaketooth (gray she-cat)

Apprentices:

Mosspaw (gray tabby tom with bluish stripes)

Kits: Blackkit (black she-cat)

 _Heartclan:_

Leader: Mallowstar (light brown she-cat)

Deputy: Deadspirit (pure black tabby tom)

Medicine cat: Cinderlight (very light gray she-cat)

Queens: Roseflight (silver she-cat)

Elders: Sheeppelt (fluffy white she-cat)

Warriors: Hawkwing (light brown tabby tom)

Flamefur (orange tabby tom with bad temper)

Tansydrop (gray she-cat)

Leopardshade (leopard-furred tabby tom)

Yellowbird (creamy she-cat)

Beepelt (tortoiseshell she-cat)

Otterheart (dark brown tabby tom)

Apprentices:

Petalpaw (ginger she-cat)

Kits: Toadkit (brown tabby tom)

 **Deceased:**

 _Dark Forest:_

Stagfoot

Tigerfang

Hawktalon

Goldenstar

Blackscar

 _Heartclan:_

Gorsedust

Logpelt

Swiftheart

Redstem

Nutfur

Crowpaw

Heavyfur

Sweetpaw

 _Littleclan:_

Thistlethroat

Deerskip

Spottedpool

Flintpaw

Spidertuft

 _Pondclan:_

Willowcloud

Softspot

Redpuddle

Jayclaw

Lionkit

Grayspeck

Cedarmist

 _Stealthclan:_

Wolfsoul

Whiteflame

Silverclaw

Shadowclaw

Brightstar

Greyfur

Hera

Graystar


	17. Chapter 14

Jaypaw watched as the tree crashed onto the Stealthclan camp, probably destroying all or most of the dens. A sudden thought occurred to him.

 _Are you all there?_ He demanded, worriedly.

 _I am._ Cinderpaw meowed.

 _I am, luckily._ Butterpaw added.

 _Redpaw?_ The gray tabby tom asked. _Are you there?_

Silence.

Worry flooded through Jaypaw. Now that the crackling had finally stopped, from both the ground and the tree, he raced to the outside of the thorn barrier.

"Redpaw!" He yowled. "Redpaw! Answer me!"

Still no response.

Jaypaw was breathing heavily with worry and sadness. He didn't know what to do. He did what his heart told him, to go into the camp.

He crouched low, ducking under branches as he looked around the camp.

 _Redpaw, if you can hear me, please answer._ He tried again.

He felt a liquid seep into the fur on his paws. He looked down. Blood. It was blood.

 _R-Redpaw?_

He straightened up, letting the branches poke and scratch at him as he raced through them. He kept his eyes glues to the ground, searching for his brother.

"Redpaw?!" He yowled.

He heard a muffled groan from the other side of the tree. _Fox dung!_

 _What?_ Cinderpaw asked.

 _He's on the other side of the tree and he's hurt._ Jaypaw confirmed.

 _Oh no._ Butterpaw murmured.

 _No kidding..._ Jaypaw agreed.

He unsheathed his claws and began climbing up the tree trunk. The tree shifted and he heard another groan of pain, but louder than before.

"Hang on, Redpaw, I'm coming!" Jaypaw yowled, hopping off the side of the tree trunk.

 _I need to find a way around..._ He thought.

He found his way back to the camp entrance, struggling to go to the right side of the camp now. He scrambled along, falling as he tripped on something. A cat, or a body of a cat, perhaps.

He scrambled up to see what he had tripped on, a dark ginger cat. An apprentice. Redpaw.

"Redpaw?" He gasped out. "Are you alright?"

"J-Jaypaw?" The whispered croak of a voice came. "Thank Starclan. Go get some help for me, okay? I'm stuck under the tree trunk."

Cinderpaw had found her way after them. "I'll watch him, okay?" She told Jaypaw.

He nodded and headed for the camp entrance to go get help.


	18. Chapter 15

Butterpaw heard Jaypaw asking Stormpelt to go into the camp to help him.

"Is there a cat inside?" Stonepool's meow came.

"Yes." Jaypaw replied. "Redpaw and he's injured."

"That can't be good." Stormpelt muttered. "Is anyone with him?"

"Cinderpaw followed me in and she's watching over him for now." The apprentice responded.

"Hey!" Butteerpaw meowed, padding up to them. "I'm going with you in there."

"Are you sure you want to Butterpaw?" Stonepool asked.

"Yes!" He exclaimed, anger flooding through him. "Redpaw is my brother too!"

"Alright then." Stormpelt mewed. "Let's go."

They entered the camp, following Jaypaw. Butterpaw quickly picked up the scent of blood. Forcing himself to relax, he continued after them. They reached redpaw and Cinderpaw, who was trying to keep the injured apprentice's mind off the pain. It obviously wasn't working.

"I hate trees." Redpaw muttered.

There was a groan and then he cried out in pain.

"Easy." Stormpelt meowed. "If you keep that up, you'll rip your legs off! We all need to work together. We have to push the trunk the other way. Ready?"

The cats positioned themselves next to the tree.

"Push!" The warrior yowled.

The five cats began pushing the tree with all of their strength. It slowly inched its way in the direction they were pushing it. After forty heartbeats, the tree had moved completely off of Butterpaw's brother, based on Cinderpaw's yowl of triumph.

There was a some groaning from Redpaw as he struggled to get up. Then there was a thump as the apprentice collapsed.

"Move against the camp wall." Stonepool meowed.

The five cats leaning against the tree stepped back against the wall, dragging Redpaw with them. The was a splintering noise as the tree shifted back into its original position. Butterpaw heaved a sigh of relief as the weight of the tree left him.

He heard Stonepool gently out Redpaw on Stormpelt's back somehow. Cinderpaw and Jaypaw were ordered to flank the warrior so that the apprentice didn't fall off of his back. They padded out of the camp, just like that, with Butterpaw and Stonepool behind them.

Redpaw was safe.


	19. Chapter 16

Most of the warriors, Jaypaw, Cinderpaw, and Smallpaw were working on cleaning up some of the debris in the camp. Since Butterpaw was blind, he was with Redpaw.

A few cats were confirmed dead, including Graystar. The strange shaking had wiped all nine of his lives away. Littlestorm was accompanying Bramblepatch to the Moontree so he could get his nine lives. They had begun to call it an earthquake. An earthquake was that shaking that had killed those poor cats.

 _I wonder if Redpaw will be okay..._ Cinderpaw wondered, forgetting she was connected to the telepathy at the moment.

 _We'll find out soon enough._ Jaypaw responded. Cinderpaw could sense that he was worried too.

She picked up a large branch and dragged it to the pile of twigs and branches that has been piling up. Brackenpelt suggested that they could be used to help rebuild the new dens.

They had been working at it since sunhigh and were completely exhausted. Luckily, the sun was close to setting.

Bramblepatch had left Brackenpelt in charge of the clan while he was gone.

"Alright, that's all for today." The golden warrior yowled to the working cats. "Gather over here now."

All the cats gathered right outside of the camp.

Brackenpelt looked out across the cats. "Fernberry, Stormpelt, go hunting for the clan. It will be moonrise soon and we'll need a good meal before we sleep."

The two warriors dipped their heads and bounded off.

"Smallpaw, Jaypaw, go fetch some moss to make temporary nests." The golden warrior ordered. "To the remaining cats, go get some rest, you've earned it."

The meeting broke up and the two apprentices left to go fetch the moss. The rest of the clan settled down.

 _Good luck with all of that moss, Jaypaw._ Cinderpaw teased. She disconnected from the telepathy as she curled up on the bare ground.

 _We have a few long days ahead of us now, don't we?_


	20. Chapter 17

Redpaw couldn't find it in him to relax and sleep. It hurt too much. All of it. Hera's death and the fact that he was injured. Heck, he didn't know if he'd ever be walking again.

It was just after sundown when Fernberry and Stormpelt returned with some fresh-kill. He was one of the first to get any, probably because he was injured. The two warriors left again to go get more prey.

Not long after they left, Jaypaw and Smallpaw arrived with enough moss for the whole clan.

Redpaw looked at the newly made nest next to him. He had no clue how he'd manage to get into it. He dragged himself across the ground towards it, easily getting the front of his body over. He painfully lifted his hind legs and tail over the edge of the nest.

He let out a small groan, waking Stonepool from his sleep.

"Are you alright, Redpaw?" The elderly medicine cat asked.

"Truthfully, I've never felt worse." The apprentice admitted.

Before the other cat responded, his eyes lit up and his ears perked up.

Redpaw turned his head in that direction. Littlestorm and Bramblestar were back.

"Bramblestar! Bramblestar!" He began the chant.

More cats joined in and then they were nearly yowling it, all of the clan now awake.

*X*

"Hey." Butterpaw's voice came.

Redpaw opened his eyes and looked up at his brother, then around the area they were in. It was obvious that this was some kind of a dream. One thing prowled at the injured apprentice's mind. _When did I fall asleep?_

"This is real, right?" He asked.

"I think so, yeah." Butterpaw responded.

"Why are we here?"

"Starclan, I think." His brother shrugged.

"Any idea why they put us here? I mean, seriously, you could have told me before I fell asleep, whenever that was." Redpaw meowed.

"Maybe Starclan didn't want any cat to overhear." Butterpaw's eyes lit up suddenly. "I know now!" He exclaimed.

"Know what?"

"The reason we're here." The ginger apprentice murmured. "It's about a prophecy."

"A prophecy?" Redpaw repeated, cocking his head.

He tried to sit up, but it seemed that his reality injuries and pain came with him. He collapsed, heaving an annoyed sigh.

"Yes, a prophecy, you heard me right." Butterpaw mewed.

"Well, spill it out. What is it?"

"The gone shall return and four will become heroes." Butterpaw murmured the phrase.

"Maybe Starclan showed it to you because they think that you are one of the four, and same for me because, well, I'm here." Redpaw guessed.

"Yeah." Butterpaw looked him in the eyes, a chill running up the injured apprentice's spine. "It makes sense now."

"Two questions." Redpaw twitched an ear uncomfortably. "Can you see in your dreams?"

"Yes, I can." The blind apprentice replied. "Next?"

"Okay, second question." Redpaw meowed. "Do you think that Jaypaw and Cinderpaw are the other two cats?"

Butterpaw looked him in the eyes once again, wiseness in the young cat's eyes. "Yes, yes I do."


End file.
